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. 2025 Aug 31.
doi: 10.1007/s40122-025-00769-9. Online ahead of print.

Cost-Effectiveness of a High-Concentration (179 mg) Capsaicin Patch for the Treatment of Patients with Peripheral Neuropathic Pain in Scotland

Rita Freitas  1 , Marjolijn van Keep  2 , Prashanth Kandaswamy  3 , Anja Prüfert  2 , Miranda Ager  4 , Marielle Eerdekens  4
Affiliations

Cost-Effectiveness of a High-Concentration (179 mg) Capsaicin Patch for the Treatment of Patients with Peripheral Neuropathic Pain in Scotland

Rita Freitas et al. Pain Ther. .

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) is a chronic condition often inadequately controlled by oral pharmacologic treatments. High-concentration capsaicin patch (HCCP) is a topical neurolytic treatment for PNP. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of HCCP as an add-on to standard of care (SoC) in patients with PNP in Scotland.

Methods: A cost-utility analysis was conducted using a Markov model with 3-month cycles and a lifetime horizon to determine the cost-effectiveness of HCCP added-on to SoC compared to SoC alone, in adult patients with PNP. The model included five health states (no pain, mild, moderate, severe pain, and death) and was developed according to Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) guidance from a National Health Service (NHS) Scotland perspective. Clinical inputs were derived from HCCP trials (e.g., PACE), and health-related quality of life was based on EQ-5D values from HCCP trials. Analyses were conducted for an adult PNP population, and diabetic and non-diabetic etiologies. Costs included drug acquisition, administration, drug and disease monitoring, adverse events, and-in a scenario analysis-societal costs.

Results: For the adult PNP population, HCCP + SoC resulted in an incremental gain of 1.00 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) at an additional cost of £13,479, yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £13,516 per QALY. ICERs for specific etiologies were £11,383 for non-diabetic and £16,442 for diabetic PNP populations. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) confirmed robustness of the model, with 89% of PSA iterations falling below a £20,000/QALY threshold. Scenario analysis using a societal perspective further improved cost-effectiveness (ICER: £7475).

Conclusions: HCCP is a cost-effective add-on therapy for the treatment of adults with PNP in Scotland, with consistent findings across diabetic and non-diabetic populations. These results support the benefits of integrating HCCP in healthcare systems and clinical practice, both in terms of patient outcomes and economic benefits for the system.

Keywords: Cost-effectiveness; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Economic model; High-concentration capsaicin patch; Peripheral neuropathic pain; Quality-adjusted life year; Qutenza; Scotland.

Plain language summary

Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) is a type of long-lasting pain that comes from damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by diabetes, surgery, infections like shingles, or certain cancer treatments. People with PNP often live with constant pain, require long-term treatment, and many do not get enough relief from standard oral medications. The high-concentration capsaicin patch is a patch applied to the skin that delivers medicine directly to the painful area, without affecting the whole body. It is approved for treating adults with PNP and can be used along with oral treatments. This analysis looked at whether this high-concentration capsaicin patch offers good value for money when used together with oral medications in Scotland. Using a computer model, we estimated how adult patients with PNP might move between pain levels over time and how this affects their quality of life and medical costs. The model followed patients during their lifetime, comparing those who received high-concentration capsaicin patch plus standard treatment to those who only got standard treatment. The results show that adding a high-concentration capsaicin patch leads to better quality of life at a reasonable extra cost. It is cost-effective for both diabetic and non-diabetic adult patients with PNP. When broader costs, like time off work, are included, the patch becomes even more cost-effective. This analysis suggests that a high-concentration capsaicin patch is a valuable treatment for adults with PNP who still have pain despite oral medications. It could help improve care while using healthcare resources wisely.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: Rita Freitas, Prashant Kandaswamy, Marielle Eerdekens, are employees of Grünenthal GmbH or its affiliates. Miranda Ager was a contractor providing paid services to Grünenthal GmbH via a third-party agency, and is currently an Astellas Pharma Ltd. employee. Anja Prüfert is an employee of RJW & Partners, which received funding from Grünenthal GmbH for the preparation of the economic model. Marjolijn van Keep is a contractor providing services to RJW & Partners. Ethical Approval: This article is based on previously conducted studies and does not contain any new studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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